NWIN #6 – December 2004

Program Summary:
Lummi Tribal member Chenoa Egawa hosts the program from the Port Gamble S’Klallam Reservation near Kingston, Washington. The Tribe dedicated their ‘House of Knowledge’ learning center December 4th, 2004. NWIN was there and includes scenes of the longhouse dedication ceremony throughout the program.

Native Vote
An unprecedented number of Native American voters were registered and took part in the 2004 general election. The Washington State gubernatorial race was the closest in state history, proving that ‘every vote counts’. With major issues such as I-892, the Tim Eyman “Just Treat Us The Same” gambling initiative on the ballot, Native voters had a lot at stake and went to the polls in record numbers. NWIN’s Morgan Howard, Tlingit, reports.

Skokomish Chum Fishery
Every November, the Skokomish Tribal fishermen and women catch hundreds of thousands of Chum salmon in the waters of Lower Hood Canal. The Chum eggs are prized the world over as the best tasting roe of all the salmon species, however there is not a strong demand for the Chum carcasses. It was once thought that throwing the carcasses back into Hood Canal would feed the crab, but it was adding to the serious deoxygenation problem in those waters. Thanks to a federal grant, the Skokomish Tribe is now recycling the Chum carcasses for food banks and correctional facilities. Niki Cleary, Tulalip, reports.

Reflections of the Healing Totem Journeys
The strength of Native American culture and spirit help a nation to recover from the tragic effects of the September 11th terrorist attacks. The Lummi ‘House of Tears’ carvers make three journeys to the 9/11 sites bringing a message of healing to those who have lost loved ones there. Healing Totems now stand on or near the three sites. NWIN reporter Fredrick Lane, Lummi, traveled with the carvers across the country and reflects upon the journeys in his report.

Around Indian Country
•In Tacoma Washington December 10th, 2004, the Historical Court of Inquiry and Justice exonerated Nisqually Chief Leschi, saying he had been wrongly convicted of murder 150 years ago.
•In Port Angeles, Washington, the Washington State Department of Transportation planned to build replacement pontoons for the Hood Canal Bridge. The construction site is located on top of the former Klallam village of Tse-whit-zen. 10,000 artifacts and more than 280 burials have been unearthed  since construction began in 2003. The Lower Elwha Tribe is asking WSDOT to move the site and stop the digging, US Senator, Maria Cantwell, (D) WA agrees with the Tribe in an announcement during a Tribal honoring ceremony.  Tulalip Tribal member Sherry Guydelkon reports.